"Fly Me to the Moon," composed by Bart Howard in 1954, became one of the most widely performed songs in the jazz repertoire. Many notable artists recorded the tune, including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Nat King Cole. Let's analyze the song.
Chord Chart (Key of A Minor)
| Am7 | Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 |
| Fmaj7 | Bm7b5 | E7b9 | Am7 A7 |
| Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 Fmaj7 | Em7 A7 |
| Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 | Bm7b5 E7b9 |
| Am7 | Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 |
| Fmaj7 | Bm7b5 | E7b9 | Am7 A7 |
| Dm7 | G7 | Em7 | A7 |
| Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 | Bm7b5 E7b9 |
Harmonic Overview
The harmony of Fly Me to the Moon moves through descending fifth motion and a series of ii - V relationships. These progressions connect the relative keys of A minor and C major, with minor cadences such as Bm7b5 - E7b9 - Am7 bringing the music back to the tonic.
Song Analysis
Bars 1 - 4: Descending Fifth Motion
| Am7 | Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 |
Am7 moves to Dm7, then to G7 and Cmaj7, following descending fifth motion. In the key of C major this sequence functions as vi - ii - V - I, briefly shifting the harmonic center from A minor toward its relative major.
Bars 5 - 8: Minor Cadence
| Fmaj7 | Bm7b5 | E7b9 | Am7 A7 |
Fmaj7 continues the descending motion. The harmony turns toward A minor through Bm7b5 - E7b9 - Am7, forming a minor ii - V - i cadence. E7 resolves to Am7, completing the cadence. A7 prepares the next progression.
Bars 9 - 12: Turnaround Motion
| Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 Fmaj7 | Em7 A7 |
Dm7 moves to G7, outlining a ii - V progression in C major. Cmaj7 moves to Fmaj7, followed by Em7 - A7, forming a ii - V that leads to Dm7 to begin the next harmonic cycle.
Bars 13 - 16: Return to the Cadential Motion
| Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 | Bm7b5 E7b9 |
Dm7 moves again to G7, forming another ii - V progression in C major before Bm7b5 - E7b9 appears again, preparing the return to A minor.
Bars 17 - 24: Return of the Opening Progression
| Am7 | Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 |
| Fmaj7 | Bm7b5 | E7b9 | Am7 A7 |
The harmony returns to the opening progression. Am7 moves again through Dm7 - G7 to Cmaj7 following the same descending fifth pattern. Fmaj7 continues the motion before Bm7b5 - E7b9 - Am7 restores the tonic minor. A7 prepares the following movement.
Bars 25 - 28: Secondary ii - V Motion
| Dm7 | G7 | Em7 | A7 |
Dm7 - G7 outlines another ii - V progression in C major. The harmony then shifts through Em7 - A7, a ii - V that points back toward Dm7.
Bars 29 - 32: Final Resolution
| Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 | Bm7b5 E7b9 |
The final phrase returns to Dm7 - G7, resolving once more to Cmaj7. The progression closes with Bm7b5 - E7b9, preparing the minor cadence that leads naturally back to Am7 if the form repeats.
Related Harmonic Studies
Autumn Leaves: Descending fifth motion and ii - V progressions
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